Flexing and spin flanging head



Feb. 10, 1970 A. H ANSSO N q 3, J

FLEXINGQAND SPIN FLANGING HEAD Original Filed April 1'7, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Ants Hansson fi m ai-m A. HANSSON FLEXING AND-SPIN FLANGING HEAD Feb. 1 0, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ori inal Filed April17, 1963 FIG.-

INVENTOR Am: Hanssorz ,Vm v Y ATTORNEYS Feb. 10,1970- A.- HANSSON 3,4,162 FLEX-1N6 AND SPIN FLANGING HEAD Original Filed April 17, 1963 4Sheets-Sheet 5 IF: 6J3

Feb. 10, 1-970 HANS SON I FLEXING AND SPIN FLANGING HEAD 4 Sheets-SheetL Original Fild A ril 17, 1963 V INVENTOR Ant: l/axzsson ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,494,162 FLEXING AND SPIN FLANGING HEAD AntsHansson, Evanston, IlL, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application Apr. 17,1963, Ser. No. 273,598. Divided and this application Oct. 22, 1965, Ser.No. 502,120

Int. Cl. B21d 3/06 US. Cl. 72126 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis disclosure relates to a spin flanging head adapted to be rotatedrelative to a circumferential end portion of a can body to transform theend portion into a generally radially outwardly directed can endreceiving flange. 'Ihe flanging head includes a plurality of rollersrotatably journaled therein for subjecting incremental portions of thecan body end portion to rapidly reversing tension and compression forcesduring the flanging operation. Means are spaced from the can body endportion for supporting the can body while permitting radially outwardflexing of the end portion during the flanging thereof.

This application constitutes a division of my copending commonlyassigned application for US. Letters Patent, Ser. No. 273,598, filedApr. 17, 1963 and nOW abandoned.

This invention relates to a novel method and apparatus for flexing andspin flanging edges of substantially tubular metallic bodies to increasethe transverse ductility of the edges, and in particular, to a novelmethod and apparatus for flexing and spin flanging the edges of highstrength brittle metallic can bodies by subjecting incremental portionsof the can body edges to rapidly reversing tension and compressionforces.

According to present can making technology, it is necessary to form aflange at both edges of a can body for subsequently seaming on a can endor cover at each of the flanged edges of the can body. Flanging ispresently done with a die having a widening contour which when forcedinto a can body deflects the metal at the edges of the can body over thewidening contour of the die to extend the metal outward and normal tothe axis of the can body. This flanging method, called die flanging ordynamic flanging, produces a circumferential flange of approximately 0.1inch width or more.

Die flanging or dynamic flanging subjects the entire circumference ofthe edge of the can body to tension forces which tend to crack thecircumferential flanges of the can bodies during the flanging operation.This tendency of cracks developing in the flanges of the can bodiesduring the dynamic flanging thereof is lessened when the can bodies aremade of metal which is relatively low tempered and ductile. However,dynamic flanging cannot be used to flange metallic can bodies which aremade of certain new materials, such as very thin grades of doublereduced or hard rolled metallic plate. Can bodies which are made offully hardened steel plate and certain aluminum alloys of hard tempersare not susceptible to die flanging or dynamic flanging because thesematerials are so brittle that the edges of the can bodies crack duringthe flanging operation. This is especially true with tube welded canbodies which, of necessity, are made from H- grain metal i.e., the metalrolling direction being parallel to the height of the can body. Dynamicflanging of tube welded can bodies produces cracks which are numerous,severe and frequently extend well down into the can body. Since thesebrittle materials are very attractive in the can making industry fromthe viewpoint of strength "ice and cost-of-material, a new method offlanging these newer, brittle, less ductile hard tempered materials wasdeveloped and is the novel subject matter of this application.

An object of this invention is the provision of a novel method andapparatus for flexing and flanging substantially tubular metallicbodies, such as can bodies, made from double reduced or hard rolledmetal plate which is extremely brittle and incapable of being flanged bypresent-day die flanging or dynamic flanging apparatus.

A further object of this invention is the provision of novel apparatusfor flexing and flanging an edge of a substantially tubular metallicbody constructed from relatively brittle material by subjectingincremental portions of the edge of the metallic body to rapidlyreversing tension and compression forces causing substantial elongationor stretching of this brittle material without producing cracks in theflange of the can body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel flexing head forincreasing the ductility of an edge portion of a substantially tubular,brittle metallic body, the flexing head being rotatable with respect tothe metallic body and including a plurality of means for successivelydeforming incremental portions or areas of an edge of the metallic bodyby subjecting the edge of the metallic body to rapidly reversing tensionand compression forces.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a novel spinflanging head for circumferentially flang ing an edge of a substantiallytubular, brittle, metallic body, the spin flanging head including meansfor subjecting incremental portions of the edges of the metallic body torapidly reversing tension and compression forces together with forceseffecting radial flanging of the edges of the body with respect to theaxis of the body.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel flexinghead including a rotatable body, the body having a frusto-conicalportion including a surface defined by a generatrix of the body, aplurality of substantially elongated elements carried by the body withthe axes thereof parallel to the generatrix of the body and each of .theelongated elements having a surface portion projecting beyond thesurface of the body for subjecting an edge of a metallic can body torapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel flexinghead of the character above-described wherein the surface of thefrusto-conical portion of the body partially defines a concavity and theelongated elements are rollers which project into the concavity of thebody.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel flexinghead including a body, a plurality of groups of elongated rollerelements carried in spaced relationship by the body, each of the rollerelements including a curved surface portion, the curved surface portionsof the elements of each of the plurality of groups of roller elementsbeing spaced to define an area adapted to receive an edge of a can bodywhereby rotation of the flexing head subjects the edge of the can bodyto rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel spin flanginghead including a body, the body having a frusto-conical portionincluding a surface defined by a generatrix of the body, a plurality ofrollers rotatably carried by the body with the axes thereof normal tothe generatrix of the body, and each of the rollers having a groove forsubjecting incremental portions of an edge of a metallic can body torapidly reversing tension and compression forces together with forceseffecting radial flanging of the edge of the metallic can body.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel spinflanging head including a body provided with a surface portion, aplurality of rollers carried 'by and projecting normally from thesurface portion, and each of the rollers including a curved surfaceportion for subjecting incremental portions or areas of an edge of ametallic can body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forcestogether with forces effecting radial flanging of the can body edge.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel spin flanginghead including a substantially cylindrical body, a plurality ofelongated elements secured to a periphery of the cylindrical body, eachof the elongated elements including a curved surface portion projectingbeyond the periphery of the cylindrical body and being capable ofincrementally forming an edge of a metallic can body and forming aflange therefrom when the spin flanging head is advanced into androtated with respect to the metallic can body.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel method offlexing and spin flanging edges of substantially tubular, brittle,metallic bodies to increase the transverse ductility of the edges andform circumferential flanges by successively deforming incrementalportions of the edges of the metallic can body by subjecting the same torapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

With the above, and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a flexing head constructedin accordance with this invention, and illustrates a plurality ofrollers rotatably journalled in a frusto-conical portion of the flexinghead, and the position of the flexing head prior to being advanced intoengagement with an edge of a can body clamped in a split holder.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of theflexing head of FIGURE 1, and illustrates the construction of theflexing head and the rollers thereof in contact with the edge of the canbody.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE2, and illustrates each of six rollers in contact with a relativelysmall area or portion of the edge of the can body and subjecting each ofthe small areas to rapidly fluctuating tension and compression forces.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in cross-sectionand illustrates a novel spin flanging head constructed in accordancewith this invention including a body carrying a pair of diametricallyopposed rollers, each of the rollers being circumferentially grooved atthe position of the rollers with respect to an edge of a metallic canbody at the initiation of a spin flanging operation.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the spin flanginghead of FIGURE 4, and illustrates one of.

the rollers and the edge of the can body at the completion of the spinflanging operation.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in cross-section,and illustrates another spin flanging head constructed in accordancewith this invention, the spin flanging head including a plurality ofsubstantially conical shaped rollers in engagement with an edge of ametallic can body secured in a split holder.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 andillustrates the conical rollers subjecting incremental portions of theedge of the can body to rapidly reversing tension and compressionforces.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE6, and more clearly illustrates the contact between the conical rollersand the edge of the can body.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 9-9of FIGURE 7, and illustrates one of the plurality of conical rollersrotatably journalled in the spin flanging head and the formation of aflange from .4 the material of the edge of the can body by the conicalrollers.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical elevational view of another spin flanging headand illustrates two of three conical rollers, similar to the conicalrollers of FIGURES 6 through 9, carried by the spin flanging head.

FIGURE 11 is a bottom view of the spin flanging head of FIGURE 10, andillustrates the three conical rollers and the larger diameter of theserollers as compared to the conical rollers of FIGURES 6 and 7.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary elevational view of a flexing head andillustrates a plurality of groups of rollers of the flexing head incontact with an edge of a can body held in a split holder.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIGURE12, and illustrates three groups of rollers with three rollers in eachgroup and the position of the can body edge with respect to the groupsof rollers during the flexing operation.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line14-14 of FIGURE 13, and illustrates the flexing of the can body edgeduring the rotation of the flexing head of FIGURES 12 and 13.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary elevational view of another spin flanginghead constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates thespin flanging head rotating and descending into a can body held in asplit holder and the initial engagement of the spin flanging head withan edge of the can body.

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken along line16-16 of FIGURE 15, and illustrates a plurality of elements carried bythe spin flanging head in contact with and subjecting the edge of thecan body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 17-17 ofFIGURE 16, and illustrates the formation of a circumferential flange bythe spin flanging head of FIGURES 15 and 16.

FIGURE 18 is a fragmentary elevational view of another flexing head ofthis invention, and illustrates a plurality of cylindrical elementscarried in a concavity of the flexing head and engaging an edge of a canbody held in a rotating split holder.

FIGURE 19 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 19-19 of FIGURE18 and illustrates the upper edge of the can body being subjected torapidly reversing tension and compression forces tending to partiallyflange the edge of the can body radially inwardly toward the axisthereof.

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 20-20 ofFIGURE 19, and more clearly illustrates the coaction between the spinflanging head and the edge of the can body held by the split holder.

FIGURE 21 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 21-21 ofFIGURE 20, and illustrates each of the elongated elements of the spinflanging head effecting an incremental area of the edge of the can body.

FIGURE 22 is a fragmentary sectional view of a roll flanger andillustrates an edge of a brittle metallic can body which has beenpreviously flexed by any one of the flexing heads heretofore illustratedbeing flanged by the roll flanger.

As has been heretofore noted, die flanging or dynamic flanging subjectsthe entire edge of a can body to tension forces. 'Ihese tension forcescause elongation of the edge of the can body and, as an example, theedge of a number 211 can body having a 2 5 inch body diameter iselongated approximately 8% in the transverse direction of very lowductility. High strength double reduced and full hard' plate cannot beelongated by more than 1 to 1.5%, thus indicating that the flanging ofcan bodies from these high strength materials without producing crackswould be an impossibility.

However, while the tensile elongation of these high strength materialsdoes not exceed 1 to 1.5% when measured over a normal gauge length of 2inches, the tensile elongation may go up to 50% and beyond when measuredover a very short gauge length adjacent to fractures or cracks producedin these brittle high-strength materials when dynamic die flanging hasbeen attempted. This extreme elongation of even brittle material inhighly localized areas of fracture indicates that brittle, highstrengthplate can be flanged by forming the edges of can bodies over a veryshort gauge length. That is, by forming or deforming the edges of thecan bodies con structed from relatively brittle material by successivelystretching adjacent short increments of the brittle metal, long lengthsof this brittle material can be elongated or stretched to a considerableextent.

Thus, the chief characteristic of this invention, which is to beimmediately described hereafter, is that only a small increment of themetallic material at the edge of the can body is formed at one time andthe forming is done progressively by moving this increment rapidlyaround the circumference of the edge of the can body.

The invention will be best understood and described by first referringto FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, to which attention is nowdirected. A substantially tubular, metallic can body having an upperperipheral edge 11 is locked in a conventional split holder 12 having abase 13 anchored to a supporting surface 14. The can body 10 is madefrom cold rolled sheet metal such as double reduced or hard rolled platewhich is relatively brittle in the as-received condition thereof.

A flexing head or flexer head 15 is reciprocally and rotatably mountedin axial alignment with the can body 10 in a manner which isconventional and is therefore not illustrated. The flexing head 15 isnormally positioned in spaced relationship to the edge 11 of the canbody 10, but is mounted for reciprocal movement into and out of the canbody 10, as is indicated by the double-headed arrow of FIGURE 1.

The flexing head 15 includes a body 16 having a frusto-conical surface17 defined by a generatrix of the body 16. An upwardly opening concavity18 is separated from a downwardly opening concavity 20 by a central wall21 of the body 16. A rotatable shaft 22 is secured to the body 16 of theflexing head 15.

The rotatable shaft 22 includes an integral, annular stop collar 23 anda reduced threaded end portion 24 projecting through an axial aperture25 in the central wall 21 of the body 16. A substantially frusto-conicalclamping plate 26 is provided with a bore 27 for receiving the reducedend portion 24 of the shaft 22. A counterbore 28 in the clamping plate26 forms a recess for receiving a nut 30 threaded upon the reduced endportion 24 of the shaft 22.

The frusto-conical surface 17 of the body 16 is provided with aplurality of identical semi-cylindrical grooves or slots 31. Thesemi-cylindrical grooves or slots 31 are parallel to the generatrices ofthe body 16.

An identical, substantially elongated, cylindrical element or roller 32is received in each of the semi-cylindrical grooves 31. Thesemi-cylindrical grooves 31 and the rollers 32 received therein areequally spaced along the frusto-conical surface 17 of the body 16, as isbest illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings. Each of the rollers32 includes a shaft 33 journalled between the clamping plate 26 and thebody 16 of the flexing head 15 in a manner clearly illustrated in FIGURE2 of the drawings. A cylindrical surface 34 of each of the rollers 32projects outwardly of the semi-cylindrical grooves 31 beyond thefrusto-conical surface 17 of the body 16.

As the flexing head 15 is rotated, it is reciprocatedfrom a positionspaced from the edge 11 of the can body 10 to the position illustratedin FIGURE 1, wherein each of the rollers 32 barely contacts the edge 11of the can body 10. Continued downward reciprocation of the flexing head15 forces each of the rollers 32 into intimate contact with the edge 11of the can body 10. At the instant the rollers 32 begin to bear againstthe edge 11 of the can body 10, the edge 11 begins losing itscylindrical cross-sectional configuration and begins to approach thepolygonal cross-sectional configuration of the edge 11 shown in FIGURE 3of the drawings. At the corners of the now polygonal edge 11, the edge11 of the can body 10 is conformed to the surface 34 of each of therollers 32. At any one instant an incremental area I of the edge 11 incontact with the surface 34 of each of the rollers 32 is placed intension while the straight portion between these incremental portions orareas are placed in compression. This is diagrammatically represented inFIGURE 3 of the drawings by the positive signs indicating tension andthe negative signs indicating compression. With the flexing headrotating, the stress state at each of the incremental portions Ireverses rapidly so that all portions of the edge 11 will alternativelybe in tension and compression. Thus, the edge 11 of the body 10 isplaced in tension only at those areas or portions which in a giveninstant are in contact with the surface 34 of the rollers 32. Only therelatively small incremental portions I of the metallic edge 11 arebeing formed at one time and the forming is done progressively byrotating the flexing head 15 which in effect, moves this incrementrapidly around the edge 11 of the can body 10.

The incremental portion or area of the edge 11 which is under tensionduring any instant corresponds to the arc of contact between the surface34 of each of the rollers 32 and the edge 11. This incremental areashould be minimized as much as possible to achieve maximum elongation orstretching of the brittle material of the can body 10 in the area of theedge 11. The number of rollers 32, on the other hand, should be largebecause otherwise, the entire can body would tend to polygonize when theflexing head 15 is forced into the can body 10 and the resultantexcessive flexing of the edge 11 as well as the entire can body 10 couldfracture the edge 11. To achieve a minimum arc of contact between therollers 32 of the flexing head 15 and the edge 11 of the can body 10,the rollers 32, as heretofore noted, are positioned with their axesparallel to the generatrix of the body 16. Each of the rollers 32 isthus oriented at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect tothe axis of the can body 10. This positioning of the rollers 32 reducesthe arc of contact between the surfaces 34 of the rollers 32 and theedge 11 of the can body 10 as is best illustrated in FIGURE 3 of thedrawings. Each of the six rollers 32 has a diameter D which ispreferably one-quarter of an inch. However, because of the inclinationor slanting of the rollers 32 with respect to the axis of the can body10 the area of contact or incremental portion I of the edge 11 isappreciably less than the diameter D of the rollers 32. The slant oroblique mounting of the rollers 32 has the beneficial effect ofapparently reducing the roller diameter and the incremental area ofcontact I with the edge 11 of the can body 10 so that, depending on theangle of the generatrix of the body 16, a one-quarter inch roller may dothe work normally done by a one-eighth inch roller.

After the flexing head 15 is withdrawn from the can body 10, the edge 11is partially flanged. That is, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 2 of thedrawings, the edge 11 of the can body 10 is circumferentially flanged atan angle of approximately 45 degrees to the axis of the can body 10. Inorder to complete the flanging of the can body 10, the edge or flange 11has to be turned out so that it forms a can end receiving flange, i.e.,a circumferential flange which is normal to or disposed at a ninetydegree angle to the axis of the can body 10. One way of accomplishingthis is by incorporating a properly designed groove into each of thecylindrical rollers 32 of FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings. Anexample of an apparatus for forming a ninety degree flange with respectto a can body is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings, and isgenerally designated by the reference numeral 35.

The apparatus 35 is termed a spin flanging head or flex flanging headsince in operation it simultaneously subjects a can body to rapidlyreversing tension and compression forces together with forces effectingfull ninety degree radial flanging of an edge of the can body.

The spin flanging head 35 includes a body 36 secured to a shaft 37 whichis reciprocated and rotated in a conventional manner. The body 36includes a pair of identical, diametrically opposed arms 38. Anidentical elongated element or roller 40 is journalled to each of thearms 38 by a bolt 41 threadably received in a threaded aperture 42 ofthe arms 38, An identical washer 43 is positioned between each of therollers 40 and an associated arm 38 to reduce frictional forces during aspin flanging operation.

Each of the rollers 40 is provided with a medial circumferential groove44 contoured to produce a flange turned out at an angle of ninetydegrees to the axis of the can body 10.

Each of the rollers 44 subjects the edge 11 of the can body to rapidlyreversing tension and compression forces in a manner substantiallyidentical to that discussed in connection with FIGURES 1 through 3 ofthe drawings, and in addition, each of the grooves 44 effect full ninetydegree radial flanging of the edge 11 with respect to the axis of thebody 10. Since only two rollers 44 in diametrically opposed relationshipflex and flange the can body 10 of FIGURE 4, the can body 10 issupported nearer to the edge 11 by the split holder 12 than in FIGURE 1.By thus supporting the can body 10 near to the edge 11, polygonizationand cracking of the relatively brittle metal material of the can body 10is precluded.

While only two rollers 40 are shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings,additional rollers identical to the rollers 40 may be provided by merelyconstructing the body 36 of a frusto-conical configuration and securingthe additional rollers to the inner peripheral surfaces of thefrustoconical body.

It should be particularly noted, the operation of the flexing head andthe spin flanging head employ the common characteristic of forming ordeforming a small increment of the edge 11 of the can body 10 at oneinstant and progressively moving this increment rapidly around the canbody 10. While a circumferential flange is formed by the flexing head 15of FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, this is merely incidental to theflexing of the edge 11 to elongate or stretch the brittle materialthereof so that a full ninety degree flange may be subsequently formed.The rollers 44, however, not only elongate or stretch the material ofthe edge 11, but elongate and stretch this material to a considerablegreater extent to form a flange Which is disposed substantially ninetydegrees to the axis of the can body 10. Thus, the incorporation of agroove similar to the grooves 44 in each of the rollers 32 of theflexing head 55 would convert the flexing head 55 into a spin flanginghead, while the elimination of the grooves 44 in the rollers of the spinflanging head 35 would constitute a flexing head. Therefore,irrespective of the particular nomenclature of these heads, eachsubjects incremental portions of an edge 10 of a relatively brittle,metallic body to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces.

A flex-flanging or spin flanging head 45 is illustrated in FIGURES 6through 9 of the drawings. The spin flanging head 45 includes asubstantially cylindrical disk-like body 46 secured to a rotatable andreciprocal shaft 47 by a key 48 (FIGURE 7). The disk-like body 46includes a top surface 50, a bottom surface 51 and a peripheral surface52.

Ten identical, substantially elongated elements or rollers 53 arejournalled in the disk-like body 46. There are ten such rollers shown(see FIGURE 7) and the rollers are equally spaced about thecircumference of the disklike body 46 adjacent the peripheral edge 52thereof.

As is best illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings, each of the rollers53 includes a shank 54 having a reduced threaded end portion 55. Theshank 54 of each of the rollers 53 passes freely through a bore 56 inthe disk-like body 46 and is secured thereto by a nut 57 threaded to thereduced end portion 55 of the shank 54. An identical washer 58 ispositioned between each of the nuts 57 and the top surface 50 of thedisk-like body 46.

A ball-bearing mount 60 including an inner race 61, an outer race 62 anda plurality of balls 63 is positioned in a counterbore 64 of thedisk-like body 46, and rotatably journals each of the rollers 53 in amanner clearly illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings.

Each of the rollers 53 includes a lower conical portion 65, anintermediate frusto-conical portion 66 and a contoured annular upperportion 67, A cylindrical portion 68 of each of the rollers 53 providesclearance between the lower surface 51 of the disk-like body 46 and thecontoured annular portion 67 of the rollers 53. The axis of each of therollers 53 is also substantially normal to the bottom surface 51 of thedisk-like body 46.

The operation of the spin flanging head 45 is similar to the operationof the flexing head 15 and the spin flanging head 35 heretoforediscussed. As the shaft 47 and the disk-like body 46 carried thereby isreciprocated to the position illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, anedge 11 of the can body 10 held in the split holder 12 is flexed andformed by progressively moving a small incremental area or portion ofthe edge 11 of the can body 10. This is best illustrated in FIGURE 8wherein the frusto-conical portion 66 of each of the rollers 53 contactsan incremental portion or area I of the can body edge 11 and, due to therotation of the disk-like body 46, progressively moves each of theseincremental portions around the can body 10 to effect rapid reversal oftension and compression forces. In addition, a continued advancement ofthe disk-like body 46 into the can body 10 brings the periphery of thecan body edge 11 into contact with the contoured annular portion 67 ofeach of the rollers 53. The annular portions 67 likewise subject theedge 11 of the can body 10 to rapidly reversing tension and compressionforces, together with forces effecting the full radial flanging of thecan body 11, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. Theforming or deforming of the edge 11 is thus effective over a very shortlength of the circumference of the can body 10 and the relativelybrittle material of the can body in these incremental portions iselongated or stretched by moving this increment rapidly by thesuccessive rollers 53 to form the horizontal flange or edge 11 of FIGURE9.

A flex-flanging or spin flanging head 70, similar to the spin flanginghead 45 of FIGURES 6 through 9, is illustrated in FIGURES l0 and 11 ofthe drawings. The spin flanging head 70 include a cylindrical disk-likebody 71 secured to a rotatable and reciprocal shaft 72 by a key (notshown) similar to the key 48 of FIGURE 7. The disk-like body 71 includesa top surface 73, a bottom surface 74 and a peripheral surface 75.

Three identical elongated elements or conical rollers 76, 77 and 78 arejournalled to the disk-like body 71 of the spin flanging head 70 in amanner identical to that illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. Theaxi of each of the substantially conical rollers 7678 is normal to thebottom surface 74 of the disk-like body 71, and each of the conicalrollers 7678 includes a lower conical portion 80, an intermediatefrusto-conical portion 81, a contoured annular portion 82 and acylindrical clearance portion 83.

The spin flanging head 70 of FIGURES 10 and 11 differs from the spinflanging head 45 of FIGURES 6 through 9 in two aspects. First, themaximum diameter of each of the frusto-conical portions 81 of therollers 76-78 is one inch, While the maximum diameters of each of thefrusto-conical portions 66 of the rollers 53 is onequarter of an inch.Secondly, there are only three rollers 76-78 carried by the spinflanging head 70 Whereas the spin flanging head 45 carries ten rollers.The reduced number of rollers of the spin flanging head 70 requires thata cam body being flanged thereby must be gripped closely adjacent anedge thereof for the reasons heretofore discussed in connection withFIGURES 4 and 5. Secondly, the spin flanging head 70 must be rotated anumber of times more than the spin flanging head 45 to achieve a smoothflange. Otherwise, the spin flanging head 70 operates in a manneridentical to that heretofore discussed in the description of FIGURES 1through 9 of the drawings, and a further discussion of the operation ofthe spin flanging head 70 is deemed unnecessary.

It is desirable at times to condition the edge of a can body constructedfrom relatively brittle metal by subjecting the edge to rapidlyreversing tension and compression forces without forming a partial or afull flange, as in the devices heretofore described. For example, wherean end has been seamed to a can body or the can body is formed by adrawing operation, it is desirable to condition or flex the open end ofthe can body because flanges tend to become damaged during shipment to apackaging plant. While the packaging plant may be equipped withconventional die flanging apparatus, these brittle can bodies cannot beflanged. Therefore, by first flexing the.

edges of these can bodies without forming flanges, the conventionalflanging apparatus at the packaging plant may be employed to flange thecan bodies and damage to preformed flanges is eliminated.

A flexing head 85 shown in FIGURES 12 and 13 of the drawings is designedto flex an edge of a can body without flanging the same.

The flexing head 85 include a disk-like body 86 secured to a rotatableand reciprocal shaft 87 which may be keyed or otherwise secured to thedisk-like body 86: The disk-like body 86 includes an upper surface 88, alower surface 90 and a peripheral surface 91.

Three groups of rollers 92, 93 and 94 of three identical rollers orelongated elements in each group are secured to the disk-like body 86.Each group of roller 92, 93 and 94 includes a first roller 95 adjacentthe peripheral surface 91 of the disk-like body 86. A second roller 96and a third roller 97 are each spaced from the first roller 95 andcooperate therewith to form a curved access area or passage for thereception of an edge 98 of a can body 100.

As is best illustrated in FIGURE 14 of the drawings, each of the rollers95, 96 and 97 is rotatably carried in an aperture 101 of the disk-likebody 86 by a shaft 102 having a flat head 103. Each of the rollers 95-97has a lower curved portion 104 which gradually blends into a peripheralportion 105.

The operation of the flexing head 85 is similar to that heretoforediscussed in connection with FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, exceptthat the edge 98 of the can body 100 is neither partially nor fullyflanged. The can body 100 is held in a split holder 12 having a base 13which is suitably anchored to a supporting surface 14. The flexing head85 is rotated and reciprocated from a position spaced from the edge 98of the can body 100 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 12. During thedownward movement of the flexing head 85, the edge 98 of the can body100- contacts the curved portion 104 of each of the rollers 95-97. Thecurved portions 104 of the rollers 95-97 form a trough which graduallynarrows toward the bottom surface 90 of the disk-like body 86. Thispermits the edge 98 of the can body 100 to enter the access area orpassage between the peripheral portions 105 of the rollers 95-97. As thedisk-like body 86 is rotated, the edge 98 of the can body 100 issubjected to rapidly reversing tension and compression forces alongincremental portions thereof. This causes stretching or elongation ofthe relatively brittle metal of the edge 98 for the reasons heretoforediscussed, however, at the completion of this operation, the can body isneither partially nor fully flanged. That is, after the flexing head 86is withdrawn, the can body 100 and the edge 98 thereof are stillrelatively cylindrical in cross-section. The can body 100 can be shippedin this relatively cylindrical shape and conventional flanging apparatuswhich would otherwise be incapable of flanging the can body 100 may beemployed to flange the edge 98 of the can body 100.

Another flex-flanging or spin flanging head constructed in accordancewith this invention is illustrated in FIG- URES 15 through 17 of thedrawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 106. Thespin flanging head 106 includes a body 107 provided with a substantiallyfrusto-conical cavity 108 and an axial bore 110. A rotatable shaft 111having a stop collar 112 and a threaded end portion 113 is received inthe bore of the body 107. A cylindrical steel core 114 is slipped on thereduced end portion 113 of the shaft 111 by virtue of an axial bore 115in the core 114. The core 114 is provided with a plurality of elongatedgrooves or slots 116 arranged equally about the periphery of the core114. An identical elongated element or insert 118 is housed in each ofthe elongated grooves or slots 116 and projects outwardly beyond aperipheral surface 117 of the core 114. The inserts 118 are perferablyconstructed from carbide or nylon and each insert includes a graduallyupwardly tapering curved portion 120 terminated in a contoured annularportion 121. A bottom beveled edge 12 2 of each of the inserts 118engages an upper surface 123 of a substantially frusto-conical clampingplate 124. The clamping plate 124 has a bore 125 in axial alignment withthe bores 110 and 115. The threaded end portion 113 passes through thebore 125 of the clamping plate 124 and a nut 126 clamps the plurality ofinserts 118 between the body 107 and the clamping plate 124 of the spinflanging head 106.

Once again, the operation of the spin flanging head 106 is substantiallyidentical to the operation of the flexing and spin flanging headsheretofore described. A can body 127 having an edge 128 is secured in asplit holder 12 having a base 13 suitably anchored to a supportingsurface 14. The can body 127 is held in axial alignment with the spinflanging head 106. As the spin flanging head 106 is rotated andreciprocated downwardly, as viewed in FIGURE 15, into the can body 127,incremental portions or areas of the edge 128 are subjected to reversingtension and compression forces. This is best illustrated in FIGURE 16 ofthe drawings where at any one instant an incremental area or portion Iof the can body edge 128 is being formed and the rotation of the spinflanging head 106 progressively moves this incremental area I rapidlyaround the can body 127.

It should be again noted that the tapered surfaces 120 of the inserts118 present a small arc of contact to the edge 128 of the can body 127.The tapering surfaces 120 effectively reduce the area of contact in themanner similar to that discussed in connection with FIGURES 1 through 3of the drawings.

When the spin flanging head 106 has been fully descended into the canbody 127, as shown in FIGURE 17, the can body edge 128 gradually curvesoutwardly because of the contoured annular portion 121 of each of theinserts 118. The spin flanging head 106 thus flexes and forms a flangewhich is normal to the axis of the can body 127.

A flexer of flexing head 130 is shown in FIGURES 18 through 21 of thedrawings. The flexing head 130 includes a body 131 having afrusto-conical surface or portion 132 defined by a generatrix of thebody 131. The body 131 is immovably secured to a supporting surface 133by a plurality of identical bolts 134 in the manner clearly illustratedin FIGURE 20.

A plurality of equally spaced grooves or slots 135 are formed in thefrusto-conical surface 132 of the body 131. A substantially cylindrical,elongated element or insert 136 is non-rotatably carried in each of thegrooves 135. Each of the cylindrical inserts 136 includes a curvedsurface portion 137 projecting outwardly beyond the frusto-conicalsurface 132 of the body 131. Each of the cylindrical inserts 136 is alsoaxially aligned with the generatrix of the body 131.

The flexing head 130 is axially aligned with a can body 138 having anedge 140'. The can body 138 is held in a split holder 141 secured to abase 142. A shaft 143 of the base 142 is rotated and reciprocated in aconventional manner.

As the shaft 143 is moved upwardly, as viewed in FIG- URE 18, the canbody edge 140 contacts the curved surface portions 137 of the inserts136. Each of the cylindrical inserts 136 again subjects an incrementalportion or area of the edge 140 of the can body 138 to rapidly reversingtension and compression forces as the base 142 and the can body 138carried thereby is rotated. The edge 140 of the can body 138 is flexedin a manner substantially identical to that heretofore described inconnection with FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings. It should be notedthat the position of the cylindrical inserts 136 flex the edge 140 ofthe can body 138 radially inwardly toward the axis of the can body 138.Thus, at the end of the flexing operation and the upwardly removal ofthe flexing head 130, the can body 138 will be partially flangedinwardly at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Any can body soconditioned or flexed can now be fully circu-mferentially flangedwithout cracks developing in the flange area.

FIGURE 22 illustrates a roll flanger 145 in which a relatively brittlecan body may be formed with a circumferential flange of ninety degreesafter the can body edge has been flexed by any one of the flexingdevices heretofore disclosed. The roll flanger 145 includes a body 146provided with a bore 147 having a diameter substantially equal to theexternal diameter of a can body 148. An axially opening circumferentialgroove 150 is formed in the body 146 of the roll flanger 145.

A roll 151 is housed in the body 146 of the roll flanger 145. The roll151 includes a cylindrical body 152, a circumferential flanging rib 1'53and a shaft 154. The shaft 154 is part of a conventional mechanism whichrotates and eccentrically moves the flanging rib 153 about and withinthe peripheral groove 150. During this movement, an edge 155 of the canbody 148 is flanged a full ninety degrees with respect to the axis ofthe can body.

Spin flanging heads have been constructed in accordance with the FIGURES6 through 11 disclosures and have been tested with the followingresults.

The spin flanging heads were tested on can bodies constructed ofdifferent metals varying in ductility, strength, temper and graindirection. These metals will be referred to hereafter in conventionalcan making terminology.

Most of the testing has been done on can bodies constructed from 55#tube welded T-8 plate rnade from aluminum kilned or MR-type steel whichhas been cold rolled 30-50% after annealing. Several hundred of thesecan bodies were successfully flanged to the normal can end receivingflange width of 0.105 inch, using the spin flanging head with ten inchdiameter rollers. Can bodies constructed from identical material andtested by dynamic die flanging heads invariably cracked in the area ofthe flange.

Approximately 300 C-grain can bodies with soldered side seams made from35 lb./BB (0.10 mm.) T-8 plate, were spin flanged with the spin flanginghead having ten tantalum carbide rollers. These can bodies weresubsequently packed and double seamed on a #449 closing machine at aspeed of 1,160 cans per minute. No leaks developed in the can body orthe flange area when these cans were packed in cartons of 24 cans percarton and test dropped from a height of 10 feet.

Can bodies constructed from 45 lb./BB (0.12 mm.) full hard plate, i.e.,hot mill strip cold rolled to final gauge without an interanneal, wasmore diflicult to spin flange. With H-grain spot welded cylinders of a 2inch diameter, flanges up to a width of .070 inch were consistentlyformed without cracking.

70 lb./BB (0.20 mm.) full hard plate, H-grain was flanged to a width of.090 inch with the spin flanging head having the ten inch diameterrollers.

lb./BB (0.27) full hard H-grain plate was flanged to the normal can endreceiving width of .105 inch. Can bodies constructed from aluminumalloys such as 3003 (1.25% Mn) and 5052 (2.5% Mg, 0.25% Cr) inintermediate and full hard tempers, were flanged successfully with boththe spin flanging head having the inch diameter rollers and the threel-inch diameter rollers.

The spin flanging head with the ten At-inch diameter rollers was testedunder various conditions employing can bodies fabricated from difierentsheet materials. In certain tests some of the ten rollers were removedleaving the spin flanging head with five or two rollers. With thisreduction in the number of rollers, a correspondingly high number ofrotations had to be made in order to make a smooth flange. As heretoforenoted, with fewer rollers it was also necessary to support the can bodynear to the edge in order to avoid polygonization and cracking. In theextreme case of two rollers with very brittle double reduced, H-graincan bodies, flange cracks developed when more than 0.150 inch of thebody edge was left unsupported. With ten rollers, rigid support was attimes not necessary at all and good flanges were obtained even when thecan bodies were held by hand.

The spin flanging head with the three l-inch rollers (see FIGURES 10 and11) was also tested under various conditions. With this spin flanginghead the split holder always had to be moved as close to the edge of thecan body as possible to avoid distortion of the can body. However, thisspin flanging head worked well with aluminum bodies which could beflanged under widely different conditions as compared to double reducedor T-8 plate, where flanging conditions are more critical.

The rotational speed of the spin flanging heads as well as theadvancement of the spin flanging heads into the can bodies was variedconsiderably. In a typical test where a can body was fabricated from 55lb./BB T8 tinplate welded tube, the can body was flanged at a rotationalspeed of 640 r.p.rn., and advanced into the can body at a speed of 1.04inches per second. A normal can end receiving flange .105 inch-wide wascompleted in 0.14 second, i.e., less than two revolutions of the spinflanging head. Since both the rotational and the entry or advancementspeed of the spin flanging end can be increased, this 0.14 second timeinterval can be measurably reduced making it possible to spin flange canbodies at the rate of 400600 can bodies per minute.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageousprovision has been made for flanging can bodies Which have heretoforebeen incapable of being flanged by conventional flanging apparatus.While the flexing heads and spin flanging heads herein disclosed makepossible the flexing and flanging of relatively brittle can bodies,attention is again directed to the fact that variations may be made inthe example flexing and spin flanging heads disclosed herein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in theappended claims.

-I claim:

1. A spin flanging head adapted to be rotated relative to acircumferential end portion of a can body to trans form the end portioninto a generally radially outwardly directly can end receiving flange,said spin flanging head comprising a body having an axis of rotation, aplurality of rollers, means journalling said rollers to said body forrotation relative thereto, each roller having an axis of rotation, theaxis of rotation of said body and the axis of rotation of each rollerbeing at all times substantially parallel to each other, each rollerhaving first surface portion means for progressively flexing incrementalportions of a can body end portion radially outwardly as the rollers areintroduced into the can body end portion whereby each incrementalportion of the can body end portion is progressively flared radiallyoutwardly, each roller also includes second surface portion meansdefining a continuation of said first surface portion means forprogressively flanging the can body end portion radially outwardly intoa can end receiving flange disposed substantially normal to the can bodyaxis after the end portion has been first fiaxed by said first means,said second surface means being defined by a smoothyl curved radiallyoutwardly directed annular shoulder surface portion of each roller, andmeans spaced from the can body end portion for supporting the can bodywhile permitting radially outward flexing of the end portion during theflanging thereof.

2. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 wherein each of saidplurality of rollers includes a terminal end portion remote from itsassociated second surface portion means, and each terminal end portionis provided with means for guidably and alignably introducing saidrollers into a can body.

3. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 wherein each of saidplurality of rollers includes a terminal end portion remote from itsassociated annular shoulder surface portion, each terminal end portionbeing provided with means for guidably and alignably introducing saidrollers into a can body, and said last-mentioned means being a generallypointed end portion of each roller defined by a continuation of saidfirst surface portion means.

4. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 wherein said rollerseach include a stem portion and an axially opposite terminal endportion, said body including chamber means receiving the stem portionsof said rollers, and said journalling means including anti-frictionmeans housed by said chamber means and cooperative with said stemportions for journalling said rollers for relatively free rotationrelative to said body.

5. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 including means forabsorbing axial thrust forces during the introduction of said rollersinto a can body.

6. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 including means forabsorbing axial thrust forces during the introduction of said rollersinto a can body, and said absorbing means being anti-friction meansdisposed between a portion of each roller and said body.

7. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 1 wherein said firstsurface means of each roller is a generally frusto-conical surface, andthe maximum diameter of each frusto-conical surface ranges approximatelybetween one-quarter to one inch in diameter.

8. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 2 wherein said firstsurface means of each roller is a generally frusto-conical surface, themaximum diameter of each frusto-conical surface ranges approximatelybetween onequarter to one inch in diameter, and there are at least sixrollers carried by said body.

9. The spin flanging head as defined in claim 3 wherein said rollerseach include a reduced stem portion axially opposite said terminal endportion, said body including chamber means receiving each of said stemportions, said journalling means including anti-friction means housed bysaid chamber means and cooperative with said stem portions forjournalling said rollers for relative free rotation relative to saidbody, said second surface means of each roller being a generallyfrusto-conical surface, and the maximum diameter of each conical surfaceranging approximately between one-quarter to one inch in diameter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,209,739 7/ 1940 .Meyer 72-1262,215,789 9/1940 Harrison 72-126 2,962,079 11/1960 Wilson 72-1263,011,539 12/1961 Henrickson 72-126 457,909 8/1891 Clapp 72-94 693,0172/ 1902 Hodgson 72-94 1,161,923 11/1915 Butler 72-94 1,543,583 6/1925Mason 113-120 AA 1,670,216 5/ 1928 Savadow 72-112 2,711,576 6/1955Wilson 72-112 545,791 9/1895 Gates 72-115 775,572 11/1904 Lovekin 721261,732,861 10/ 1929 Rosenbloom 72-126 1,872,294 8/ 1932 Hothersall 72-1262,164,724 7/ 1939 Severin 72-126 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,912 6/ 1882 Germany.

591,741 1/1934 Germany 608,317 11/1960 Canada.

863,919 1/1940 France.

507,567 12/ 1954 Italy.

RICHARD J. HERBST, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

